Women tend to launch businesses with less financing than men and have more difficulty raising funding. But early data suggest that women are outperforming men in raising money via crowdfunding sites, such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo.

Starting a business is a lot like becoming a parent. Not only do you have to prepare for your start-up emotionally and financially, but you have to be committed to its constant needs until it's mature enough to hum along on its own. And even then (much like a child) it will always need you in some capacity, no matter how old it gets.